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Results for “Zernike phase-contrast”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

Phase-Shifting Zernike Interferometer Wavefront Sensor

The canonical Zernike phase-contrast technique transforms a phase object in one plane into an intensity object in the conjugate plane. This is done by applying a static pi/2 phase shift to the central core (approx. lambda/diameter) of the PSF which is intermediate between the input and output plane. Here we present a new architecture for this sensor. First, the optical system is simple and all reflective, and second the phase shift in the central core of the PSF is dynamic and can be made arbitrarily large. This common-path, all-reflective design makes it minimally sensitive to vibration, polarization and wavelength. We review the theory of operation, describe the optical system, summarize numerical simulations and sensitivities and review results from a laboratory demonstration of this novel instrument.

Zernike phase-contrast↗
NASA NTRS2011

Phase-Shifting Zernike Interferometer Wavefront Sensor

The canonical Zernike phase-contrast technique1,2,3,4 transforms a phase object in one plane into an intensity object in the conjugate plane. This is done by applying a static pi/2 phase shift to the central core (approx. lambda/D) of the PSF which is intermediate between the input and output planes. Here we present a new architecture for this sensor. First, the optical system is simple and all reflective. Second, the phase shift in the central core of the PSF is dynamic and or arbitrary size. This common-path, all-reflective design makes it minimally sensitive to vibration, polarization and wavelength. We review the theory of operation, describe the optical system, summarize numerical simulations and sensitivities and review results from a laboratory demonstration of this novel instrument

wavefront sensing↗
DOE OSTI2026

The ABCs of phase retrieval: Connecting the acronyms of scanning transmission electron microscopy

High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM) is an indispensable tool for characterizing the structure and properties of materials down to the atomic scale. Conventional S/TEM imaging, however, is limited by the phase problem, whereby the phase of the electron exit wave is lost upon detection. Recent advances in diffractive imaging and 4D-STEM have enabled a range of phase-retrieval techniques that computationally reconstruct the missing information encoded in the phase of the transmission function. These approaches offer improved dose efficiency and enhanced sensitivity to weakly scattering signals, extending quantitative imaging to beam-sensitive materials composed of light elements. In this work, we introduce the phase problem in electron microscopy and survey the diverse landscape of phase-retrieval techniques used in the field. Despite their many acronyms and algorithmic variations, these techniques share a common physical and mathematical foundation. We present a unified framework that connects these seemingly distinct methods, from parallax imaging and tilt-corrected bright-field (tcBF-STEM), to aberration-corrected bright-field (acBF-STEM), optimum bright-field (OBF-STEM) and single-sideband (SSB) ptychography, as well as first-moment integrated center of mass techniques (iCOM) and iterative ptychographic algorithms. Based on these insights, we discuss the opportunities and practical limitations of applying these methods across different materials systems, detector designs, and microscope configurations.Graphical abstractRepresentative electron microscopy configurations used for phase retrieval and diffractive imaging in S/TEM: (a) Zernike phase-contrast transmission electron microscopy (TEM), (b) small-convergence-angle four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM) for nanobeam-based phase reconstruction methods, and (c) large-convergence-angle 4D-STEM for ptychographic and related diffractive imaging techniques reviewed in this work.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1953

A New Simple Interferometer for Obtaining Quantitatively Evaluable Flow Patterns

The method described in the present report makes it possible to obtain interferometer records with the aid of any one of the available Schlieren optics by the addition of very simple expedients, which fundamentally need not to be inferior to those obtained by other methods, such as the Mach-Zehnder interferometer, for example. The method is based on the fundamental concept of the phase-contrast process developed by Zernike, but which in principle has been enlarged to such an extent that it practically represents an independent interference method for general applications. Moreover, the method offers the possibility, in case of necessity, of superposing any apparent wedge field on the density field to be gauged. The theory is explained on a purely physical basis and illustrated and proved by experimental data. A number of typical cases are cited and some quantitative results reported.

INSTRUMENTS - INTERFEROMETERS↗
NASA NTRS2015

Zernike Wavefront Sensor Modeling Development for LOWFS on WFIRST-AFTA

WFIRST-AFTA design makes use of an existing 2.4m telescope for direct imaging of exoplanets. To maintain the high contrast needed for the coronagraph, wavefront error (WFE) of the optical system needs to be continuously sensed and controlled. Low Order Wavefront Sensing (LOWFS) uses the rejected starlight from an immediate focal plane to sense wavefront changes (mostly thermally induced low order WFE) by combining the LOWFS mask (a phase plate located at the small center region with reflective layer) with the starlight rejection masks, i.e. Hybrid Lyot Coronagraph (HLC)'s occulter or Shaped Pupil Coronagraph (SPC)'s field stop. Zernike wavefront sensor (ZWFS) measures phase via the phase-contrast method and is known to be photon noise optimal for measuring low order aberrations. Recently, ZWFS was selected as the baseline LOWFS technology on WFIST/AFTA for its good sensitivity, accuracy, and its easy integration with the starlight rejection mask. In this paper, we review the theory of ZWFS operation, describe the ZWFS algorithm development, and summarize various numerical sensitivity studies on the sensor performance. In the end, the predicted sensor performance on SPC and HLC configurations are presented.

Zernike phase contrast↗